Kurama raised one eyebrow, his curiosity clear. He doubted he would be privy to Hiei's plans however, regardless of their new status. If the fire demon wanted him to know, he wouldn't have taken the effort to be so cryptic. Deciding to save Hiei the trouble of ignoring his unstated question, Kurama revealed his own plans. "I'll visit mother tomorrow," he said as if just now making the decision. "Take your time, I'll leave the balcony door unlocked," he added. Though Hiei already knew he would, this was Kurama's way of letting his partner know that his return would be welcome, if not awaited.

The redhead sat sideways and pulled one leg up to rest his chin on while the other dangled down below as he contemplated what Hiei might have to take care of. If it had anything to do with Yukina he would have likely mentioned it so Kurama slashed that idea right away. There weren't any other locations in the human world important to the fire demon that would warrant such a long absence the fox decided and so deduced that whatever Hiei's business was, it would take place outside the human realm. Curiosity burned within him but Yoko refrained from asking. Though they were together now, certain aspects of their lives remained separate.

The last bite of egg went down smoothly and after sitting a moment longer, Keiko stood and carried her dirty bowl into the dish room. Grabbing her apron from a nearby hook, the brunette set to filling the sink and washing her bowl. With that finished she decided it was about time for her to get to work. Exiting through the swinging door, Keiko rounded up the dirtied bowls and carted them off to the back to soak. A few of their customers had departed and she cleared their tables and wiped them down for the next clients before returning to the back to wash what few dishes there were.

More conscious of her actions than usual, Keiko was careful to think of pacing herself and reading her own body. When she wasn't busy thinking of what changes to expect, she was busy worrying about making the announcement. With her hands elbow deep in soapy water, she decided that it wasn't at all like announcing a marriage but far more nerve wracking. After rinsing the last dish and setting it down to dry, Keiko wiped her hands on her apron and went to check on her husband. The last thing she wanted at the moment was him revealing her little secret to all the regular customers and possibly even some less frequent visitors.

The next time he came back to begin another batch of orders, Keiko decided to confront the excited father to be. "Yusuke?" she called his name to be sure she had his attention before she began. "Let's make this our little secret for now, okay?" Keiko looked at her husband expectantly, afraid that he might not respect her request. She felt guilty for denying him the pleasure of sharing the good news with everyone but just wasn't ready for everyone to know yet, not until she knew for sure.

Hiei nodded in acknowledgment. It was...nice having someone to tell his plans to, someone who'd care if he didn't come back. It was still a new feeling for Hiei. As high ranked as he was in Makai, there would be no trouble replacing him and no one would shed a tear if he didn't return. Demon's were practical that way. Makai was a hostile world with even more hostile residents, if someone did not return as scheduled it was practical to presume they were dead until circumstances proved otherwise. Still, he'd go back long enough to officially promote his second in command to take his place, for what the gesture was worth. Holding the position would be up to her after that. He was fairly certain she was strong and smart enough to keep the rest in line.

That would only take a couple of hours at most, probably much less. The visit to Reikai would likely be much more time consuming, not to mention frustrating. The fire demon was no diplomat and Koenma set his teeth on edge on a good day. Having to ask the godling for a favor would likely not lend itself to being a good day.

Pushing the negative thought away, Hiei focused on the conversation at hand. "Will you tell her...about us?" He asked hesitantly. Kurama had told him he could take the lead in telling their friends but Shiori was not a friend and the fox was fiercely protective of her. Kurama kept her away from Hiei before he left, sealing the fire demon out of that part of his life in order to keep his demonic secret. Thus, the fire demon did not offer to meet the woman; Hiei didn't know if the redhead would even want him to offer. However he had seen and heard enough about the human woman to suspect she'd want to meet him if she found out he was a big part of her son's life.

Yusuke looked at his wife, confusion in his eyes. "Why?" He asked after taking a moment to absorb the request. Why wouldn't she want to tell everyone about the baby? Was she ashamed of it? "Don't you want it?" The half demon's heart ached at the idea of giving up his child even though he'd only had a few minutes to get used to the idea of having one.

Kurama lifted his head to regard Hiei for a moment before lowering it to rest once again on his knee, unable to make eye contact with the other demon. It was impossible to miss the hesitation in Hiei's voice; Shiori remained a fragile subject between them. Hiei seemed more sympathetic to his weakness than in years past and Shuichi feared his partner would be hurt if he didn't at least inform the most important person in his life about them.

The redhead had spent most of his human existence protecting his mother from anything that didn't belong in her world, including Hiei. He had grown accustomed to hiding things from her but knew there would come a point where his plan would fail. Shiori would surely be heartbroken if her son went through life alone, even if by choice. Here, Kurama was unwilling to pretend; he would not create a fictional love life for her sake. In this case, he wondered if the truth would be better, or if it would it hurt her more to know her son was gay.

Though Shiori was not his real mother, the kitsune could not remember the original and found himself attached to the human that had fostered him instead. Her opinion hardly mattered in the wider scope of things but the fox deeply cared about making her happy, so much that he was willing to devote at least fifty years of his life to hers. Shiori was a kind soul who wanted nothing more than to bring happiness to others and Kurama hoped that in this respect she would be happy enough for him to overlook the impossibility of seeing him wed or doting on his children.

With his mind made up, Kurama turned his emerald green eyes to face Hiei. He had been silent for far too long and it was about time he gave his answer. "Yes," he said, his voice firm though his insides roiled with uneasiness at the thought of confessing his sexual orientation to his mother. Out of everything else he hid from her, she had the right to know at least one truth about him he decided. "She'll probably insist on meeting you though," he added with a hesitant smile that was only somewhat forced.

Yusuke's face betrayed his bafflement at her request and Keiko rushed to explain. "It's not that at all!" she said with conviction. "I just want to hear what the doctor thinks before we tell everyone," she said quietly, hoping her husband would understand. Yusuke seemed so confidant already that she was expecting and Keiko was feared that he would be extremely let down if the tests came back negative.

Keiko still wasn't sure how her usually dense husband had figured it out so quickly, long before any of the obvious signs began to show and only shortly after she began to wonder herself. Had he somehow developed a new psychic power that allowed him to read her mind? Keiko wanted to ask him how he had guessed but knew it wasn't the proper time or place. There were meals to be delivered and more to be made. It wasn't rush hour yet but things were beginning to pick up in the dining room.

Hiei waited for Kurama's answer in silence. He was beginning to think the redhead would ignore the question entirely. Thus, the sudden determination in the voice of his love surprised him. He subtly released the breath he hadn't realized he was holding as the fox continued to speak, confirming what the fire demon had already suspected. He found himself not quite looking forward to the meeting, but it did not inspire the disgust it might once have brought up in his mind either. "I...I think...I would meet this human mother of yours." He said after a few moments spent trying to formulate his feelings into words. It was a struggle to reconcile his anger from all those years ago; anger at a frail human woman for stealing and caging a creature like Kurama; with the realization that a large part of his fury at her was jealousy. She owned a piece of Kurama he had never been allowed to touch until now. She was the embodiment of Kurama's human life, the anchor that kept the fox tethered to this realm and Hiei could only watch from a distance as the shallow humans basked in the fox's presence, never knowing what they had.

However, recent events had brought him some clarity. He owed the human woman a great deal. She had taught the ruthless and calculating Youko Kurama compassion, love, and selflessness, she had unknowingly tempered the fox spirit's wildness just enough that Hiei was able to succeed in capturing his heart. The fire demon had no illusions: Youko Kurama would likely never have looked twice at him. The fox of old wouldn't have needed him to help steal the Reikai artifacts because he would have had no need of the mirror. If not for that heist they wouldn't have stayed together for so long, working out their parole, and Hiei wouldn't have given the famed thief any idea of what lay buried under his icy facade. Their whole history revolved around the redhead's choices to protect that woman. "You wouldn't be this person that I...love, if you had never met her. I see that now. I would be...honored to be allowed to know Shiori Minamino better." The words were like a weight lifted from his heart, clearing the air between them with the truth that Hiei was really only beginning to consider.

However, nagging doubts still lingered. The fox had never before offered to introduce the fire demon to his mother; had actually gone to great pains to keep her from knowing his dark haired partner in crime existed, and not once in all the years the pair had worked together did Hiei ever meet the human face to face. She was the tread on the stairs, the knock at the door, the voice calling out for her perfect son; and he was the shadow that flitted away at the slightest panicked glance from the powerful and ancient fox spirit. Kurama had stolen priceless artifacts from kings and gods but the idea of his mother meeting his best friend had obviously frightened him deeply. Hiei was too tied to the demon world the fox was trying to keep hidden from his beloved mother. Hiei wasn't sure the idea of this meeting didn't terrify his beloved even now. It was that knowledge that made him offer the fox an escape. "You're certain you want to do that? We don't have to tell her if you don't want her to know."

It pained him to think of remaining forever in the shadows of Kurama's human life, but he was careful to keep his expression blank, possibly too blank, the fox might notice he was masking his emotions but it was the best he could do and the redhead would have no way of being certain what he was hiding.

Yusuke smiled in relief as he understood. She wasn't sure she was pregnant yet. "Oh...okay. If that's what you want, honey." His smile turned cheeky as he leaned in to whisper in her ear. "But I'm sure about this. I can see it when I look at you, a tiny spark of spirit energy...right here." He laid his hand on her abdomen where the new life was growing inside her. He pulled back and kissed her on the cheek. "That's how I knew."

Kurama carefully studied Hiei's reaction to his answer; he wanted to be certain he had guessed his partner's feelings on the matter correctly. It was the fire demon’s turn to remain cryptically silent however and the fox could only speculate what his love might be thinking. Would Hiei want to meet the woman he called mother? ’Do I even want him to?’ Kurama’s gaze fell as he contemplated this last point until the sound of Hiei’s voice drew him out of reflection. Though the fire demon’s words didn’t reveal much about his thoughts, they at least answered one of the fox’s questions, leaving only his own desire to be determined. The redhead merely nodded vaguely before falling victim to his own brooding once more.

A few minutes later it was again Hiei’s voice that drew him from the darkness. Those words dredged an entire well of emotions from the fox’s heart. Though it was obvious that he had changed from his years spent in the human realm, Kurama had merely accepted this as an unavoidable side effect. In the beginning he had resented his own carelessness that had lead to his necessary attachment to the woman known as Shiori. She was weak and overprotective of the baby she knew not to be a monster who thought of her only as a tool for his own recovery. As Shuichi’s body grew however, it became imperative that he fashion a new personification of his spirit that would be acceptable in his temporary home. By distancing a part of himself from his demonic roots, Kurama initiated a partial schism within his own subconscious. Lending that part of his mind to human development allowed him to more easily keep his wilder spirit tucked away, though the fox was ever present.

Yoko also believed the split might protect his true spirit from being tainted with human thoughts and emotions, but he had been wrong. As time went by, his human presence, fundamentally influenced by the teachings of his mother, began to bleed. He found himself vulnerable to weaknesses that had never before existed in his natural persona that eventually led to his inability to make his escape as planned, though he had amassed the necessary spiritual energy. A sense of duty to and compassion for his mother held him back when she fell ill and even after bringing about her recovery, love for her continued to prevent his departure so that even now he continued the charade for her.

Hiei was right when he admitted Shiori had shaped him into what he was at the present, though the fox didn’t often think of it in those terms. Kurama’s practicality instead blamed the root of the problem for the change. ’I wouldn’t be this person if I hadn’t made a careless mistake... He is right though, she has made me better,’ he thought, surprised by the sudden revelation. The fact that Hiei had been the first to admit it astounded him. The fire demon had come a long way since stabbing him that day in the warehouse. Back then he would have never attested to the power of human sentiments let alone express reverence for one of them. If Hiei felt this strongly about meeting his mother, Kurama had no right to withhold him the opportunity.

”Thank you Hiei,” he said, his voice filled with emotion and his heart squeezing with new found respect for his partner. The burden of their argument ten years prior lifted from Kurama’s shoulders; he doubted Shiori would act as a wall between them any longer. The redhead reached a hand out for one of Hiei’s and gave it a squeeze, ”I want mother to know,” he said with certainty. ”I’m just afraid of disappointing her,” the redhead admitted. It felt odd confessing his fear to his beloved, but for the first time Kurama was certain that Hiei would understand that fear.

Keiko smiled in relief when Yusuke acquiesced. ”Thank you,” she said softly, happy that he was willing to wait as requested. Her smile turned to surprise however when he revealed the source of his knowledge. He could actually see the tiny formation within her womb? Keiko didn’t doubt that her husband was telling the truth but also didn’t discredit her theory on telepathy. He did just answer her unphrased question after all, it was possible that he had been reading her mind. "You never cease to amaze me Yusuke." Keiko flashed him a smile before before leaving him to get back to business while she went to greet a new group of guests.

Hiei found himself much relieved when the fox didn't take back the decision to allow him to meet the human he called mother. He let his hand be taken and answered the reassuring squeeze with one of his own as the redhead confessed the source of his anxiety and hesitation. The fire demon mulled over the words for a few moments, trying to find some way of comforting his love. Finally, it hit him and he felt foolish for failing to see the correlation sooner.

"As I was with Yukina. I claimed I was trying to protect her from the knowledge of what sort of person her brother was...the person I once was...but truthfully I was afraid of not being good enough for her to accept me. All I accomplished was putting us both through years of stress, pain, and dishonesty that could have been avoided with a few words...and in the end she didn't even begrudge me the deception." He trailed off slowly, unsure if the feelings involved were exactly the same but hoping the anecdote would be close enough to offer Kurama some solace and encouragement.

Determined to offer whatever help he could, Hiei pressed on before he could talk himself out of it. "Don't underestimate the people you care for, Fox. You wouldn't bind yourself to a human who was petty or small minded." It was a compliment of sorts, to both the redhead and his mother, even if it was a rather blunt way of phrasing it. Uncomfortable with his own words and hoping to lighten the mood a little, Hiei dredged up things he had seen on television a time or two: a common theme found in many of the programs he'd glimpsed, now preserved in his perfect memory for ages to come. "Besides, humans are supposed to rebel against their families at a certain point in life. It's some sort of rite of passage into adulthood and you are far overdue for it. If one disappointment after so many years of perfection could destroy the relationship you have with this human, then she is not the person you've portrayed her to be."

Hiei let that stew for a minute before he asked the other question that he had in mind now that the redhead had decided to tell his mother about them. "So, how do you want to do it?" There were a variety of ways to go about breaking the news to her. "You could tell her first and let her decide about meeting me...or I could go with you when you tell her." He offered hesitantly. "Or you could introduce me first as a friend and wait a little while to tell her the rest...then she wouldn't think you were rushing into things with a man you hardly know." He smirked, amused at the idea. Hiei was well aware that he probably knew more about Kurama than anyone else other than the fox himself. Telepathy and long companionship tended to result in such knowledge though most of what he knew was because the redhead had told him. He wouldn't invade Kurama's private thoughts...unless they were especially loud...or the fox let him for some reason.

Yusuke just grinned and shrugged off her compliment. "Hey, I'm not the one growing another person inside me." He pointed out sincerely, not even trying to mask the joy in his tone. "Now, that is what's really amazing!" He hurriedly turned his attention back to the stove, lest they lose another batch of noodles.

The warm hand felt reassuring in his own and Kurama clutched it loosely as Hiei attempted to comfort him. The redhead had never before been certain of Hiei’s true reasoning behind keeping his relation to Yukina a secret. He had guessed the first part on his own but was a bit taken aback by the real reason for Hiei’s fear. The end result however was true and the similarity to his own dilemma not too far off the mark. There were of course other complications involved between his mother and himself that didn’t exist between Hiei and Yukina but the message Hiei offered was clear. As the fox pondered this message, Hiei offered up another attempt to give him courage. To this, Kurama smiled, knowing his partner spoke the truth. His mother was neither petty nor small minded but so much more--a gentle woman, both loving and selfless.

The fox smirked at Hiei’s final words. Though less serious than the rest, they were the most helpful. It was true that he had never failed his mother in the years of his youth; he always received perfect marks and never openly disobeyed her. He was the perfect son any mother could want but the one thing he had failed to realize was that mothers loved their children not because they were perfect but because they weren’t. Yusuke was the crowning example. Far from perfection in his youth, the rebellious boy was always incurring Atsuko’s wrath. At the end of the day however, she was always happy to have him home safe and sound. Countless other examples came to mind unbidden and only served to solidify his realization.

The redhead nodded, giving Hiei the credit he deserved for pointing out these things and abating his fears. His nervousness was not completely vanished however but that was to be expected. Hiei’s question gave him direction however. Planning the encounter with his mother would allow him to reveal the information in the manner he chose and give him more confidence to say what he needed to. Which option would be best however? Shuichi pondered the three options Hiei mentioned for many moments. He quickly discarded the second and focused on the other two. The last one was the most cautious option; it would allow him to determine his mother’s opinion of Hiei before revealing anything. The disadvantage of that method was that it would be more difficult to tell her if he sensed she disliked him. By choosing the first, he could speak with mother tomorrow before any doubts could cause him to lose nerve or second guess himself.

His mind made up, Kurama revealed his choice. "I'll tell her tomorrow," he said quietly, "The rest will be up to her." It was the best he could do. As Hiei eluded to in his first anecdote, it would be ideal to tell her sooner rather than later. It wouldn't do to have her find out secondhand and would hopefully save him the trouble of further deception.

((Sorry about the long wait. T_T))

OOC: No worries. Hope you had a nice visit. ^_^ Sorry you were sick. I was sick yesterday myself. O_o' Feeling better?

Hiei nodded. It was a sound decision, acting before doubts had time to set in and leaving further decisions in Shiori's hands. "Hn." He grunted his approval along with his nod. "Good. You ready to pay Yusuke a visit so we can go home?" He asked giving no indication as to his preference in his tone. He didn't actually care if they sat in the tree until dawn (and it hadn't even begun to get dark yet) but the redhead would probably prefer sleeping in a bed and they did still need to check on the half demon and his human mate lest she damage herself or her child unknowingly.

His mind stumbled over his concern for Keiko and her child. It was unusual for him to take more than a professional interest in the well-being of a human, even a pregnant one. At first he had brushed it off as a side effect of his friendship with Yusuke or gratitude for her advice, but there was more to it than that. He let his mind wander a little, searching for the cause.

When the reason surfaced it brought his mind stuttering to a halt and he missed the fox's reply to his question completely. His own mother had died in childbirth and he'd been left to fend for himself. A Koorime was not equipped to bear a fire demon child. He had killed her, and a child with demon blood could easily do the same to Keiko.

((I guess it's going around. My tummy feels better but the cold still lingers and my toes will take a long time to heal. I don't know what I was thinking when I imagined it would only take a few days for the soreness to go away. >.<))

Hiei's one word response told Kurama that he agreed with his decision. Satisfied that he had made the right choice, Kurama turned his attention to the fire demon's next question. Though he had already agreed that revealing Keiko's pregnancy would be for the best, the redhead was still reluctant to do so. The young couple needed to know of course, as proven by Keiko's exhaustion the evening prior, but he imagined the situation would be awkward at best. Rather than being the harbingers of good news, they would need to bring reality to the situation. Bearing a human child was taxing as it was but bringing a demon child to life would be exhausting, if not life-threatening. Humans weren't meant to carry demonic beings and it was quite possible that Yusuke's heritage could endanger Keiko's life as the fetus began to grow inside of her. Atsuko had survived the process but fortunately for her, her son's demonic energy did not develop in full until after he had grown.

"Yes, I think that would be best," Kurama said after his short reflection. The sooner the couple knew, the better. They would need to take precautions measures to ensure that Keiko wasn't putting unnecessary strain on her body that might endanger her child and herself. He would talk to Yusuke about hiring temporary help and if necessary, would help fund the employment of said help. There were other ways he could ensure the pregnant woman's safety and the redhead decided he would do a bit of gardening either that night or during Hiei's absence. Bringing his attention back to the fire demon seated before him, Kurama noticed the faraway look on his face. "Is something the matter Hiei?" he asked quizzically, uncertain of the source of Hiei's distraction.

Shaking off his thoughts with some effort, Hiei finally registered the mildly concerned expression on Kurama's face and caught on to the fox's question. "Hn." He answered noncommittally, not willing to lie and but not really wanting to talk about his new revelation either. It wasn't that he didn't want Kurama to know, he just wasn't certain he truly understood it himself yet.

Hiei stood, assuming the redhead had agreed they should go and he'd simply missed it. He brushed off his coat and held out a hand to Kurama. "Come on." He said gruffly, looking away. "It isn't far."

OOC: So sorry for the long wait! I suck. :headdesk:

Hiei shrugged off the redhead's question after a moment's pause and Kurama chose not to pursue the matter. If the fire demon wanted him to know his thoughts, he would reveal them when he was ready.

Disentangling himself from his awkward position, Kurama took the hand offered to him and stood though it may have just been easier to allow himself to slip down to the ground bellow. The fox rather liked the excuse for physical contact, brief as it was. Once on his feet, Kurama nodded and leapt the short distance to the ground. Hiei's demeanor was not lost on him however. It was obvious that something was still on his mind. The fox wasn't going to pry however, and instead lead them silently across the grassy yard, conscious to give Hiei the space he needed to think while he in turn pondered what might be on the fire demon's mind.

((Now I'm the one who sucks. V_V Sorry for the wait!))

Hiei fell into step next to the taller man within seconds after leaping to the ground. Firmly pushing his earlier preoccupation away, he focused on the few other occupants of the park; an elderly couple out for a stroll, a few late joggers, and two women chatting animatedly on a bench as their three young children squealed and scampered in an elaborate game of tag on the playground. Satisfied that none of the humans were paying any attention to either of them, he brushed his hand against the redhead's as they walked, a silent invitation to hold hands if Kurama wanted to take him up on it.

Hiei seemed to come out of his reverie soon after they returned to the ground and Kurama gave up on trying to guess his thoughts. There weren't as many humans on the lawn as there were when they'd entered but a few remained, most noticeably a noisy bunch of children. Kurama had never been carefree at their age. A far older spirit resided within that lacked the innocence of a human child. He'd participated in their games out of boredom and the need to train his body but had never squealed and giggled the way these children did. Even as a kit his playfulness had been balanced with an equal seriousness which was a necessary part of survival in the demon realm.

Hiei's hand brushing against his own pulled the kitsune back from his oldest memories and taking the fire demon's invitation, he slipped his hand into the other's. He enjoyed the warm sensation of Hiei's skin which was not unlike the feeling of sunlight radiating against his soft, white fur. The redhead lead them silently through a section of relatively deserted side streets before turning onto the one that lead to their destination. Yusuke's wasn't far down and when they reached it, Kurama gently slipped his hand from Hiei's grasp to push open the door and lead the way inside. Keiko greeted them warmly before tuning to take care of another customer and Kurama was relieved to see that some color had returned to her face.

Hiei was content to walk in silent companionship. Kurama's cool slender fingers felt natural, entwined with his warmer ones; a fact that might have concerned him had it been anyone other than the fox. Kurama had, knowingly or unknowingly, burrowed his way past every psychological defense Hiei had painstakingly constructed during his unpleasant childhood and lonely adult life. The cynical, suspicious persona he'd cultivated to protect himself railed at him for not pushing the redhead away; warned him that allowing anyone to get close invited betrayal and pain. But the part of him that remained innocent, buried for so long he had thought it entirely gone...

Now, that small part of him had dared to emerge and hope.

Hiei would never admit it, but he had a strong suspicion that he couldn't let Kurama out of his life now even if he wished to try. 'I don't think either of us would let that happen.' The thought brought a ghost of a smile to his lips as they approached the small shop.

It was with mild regret that he released the redhead's hand, missing the contact almost immediately but Hiei was not the sort to cling so he pushed the reaction away and followed Kurama into the restaurant. He nodded a greeting to Yusuke and surreptitiously checked Keiko over for any further sign of weakening. The small spark of youki in her womb seemed stable and her own energy was not nearly as depleted as it had been the previous day. It was a good sign, but he still believed they should tell the couple about the child right away. They needed to understand the risks so they could take precautions. 'No child deserves to grow up without a mother.'

Yusuke grinned and waved at the pair of demons as he poured broth into five bowls and set about balancing them all over to a table in the corner, where a couple with three children waited eagerly for their dinner.

After his initial contact with Keiko, Kurama’s attention turned to Yusuke who was waving at them from behind the bar. The redhead offered a slow nod of recognition and emerald eyes followed the spirit detective’s careful movement as he delivered what he had just finished preparing. While he waited for the raven haired man to return to his station, Kurama leaned casually against the counter rather than sitting in hopes that his body language would inform Yusuke that Hiei and himself hadn’t just stopped in for a meal.

As he waited, he pondered how to approach the subject of their coming and by the time Yusuke had returned, the fox had already decided on a more indirect approach. ”You seem to get good business Yusuke,” he noted casually, ”Have you ever considered hiring a hand to help during the busy periods?” His question was simple enough but green eyes remained intently fixed upon Yusuke’s features as he awaited a response.

Keiko presented her customer with the beverage he had requested with a polite bow before excusing herself. She took a moment to clear off a nearby table and carried the stack of dirty bowls to the back to be washed. With that done she wiped her hands on her apron and approached their visitors. She was relieved to see that Yusuke hadn't caused any irreparable damage between the new couple, at least as far as she could tell.

Hiei mentally frowned at Kurama's opening gambit. If the fox had his way, they would be at the little restaurant all night trying to get to the point. The fire demon was leaving in the morning to take care of his business in Reikai and he wanted to spend as much of the evening alone with Kurama as possible.

That logic was what prompted him to override the redhead's careful approach and get right to the point as Keiko returned from taking some dishes to the back. "So, when is she due?" He asked flatly, gesturing idly at the brown haired female. He figured if he assumed they already knew, the question would not seem as prying as he was aware it might otherwise. It was a quick way to gauge the situation without spending an hour attempting to be subtle.

Yusuke was about to answer Kurama's polite question when Hiei's words took him completely off guard. "I...we....how?" He sputtered, wide eyed at the red eyed demon.

Kurama frowned when Hiei interrupted his carefully planned out line to smoothly direct their conversation to where it needed to go. It seemed Hiei was not in the mood to wait out his patient approach and had chosen to brutally shove the conversation to where he wanted it to go. Somehow the fire demon had managed to do so with enough tact but not without causing some shock.

Keiko's brow furrowed in anger as she walked in on Hiei's question. "Yusuke, you said you wouldn't!" she exclaimed in annoyance before reading the shock on her husband's face. Realizing her mistake, Keiko regretted her words almost immediately but it was too late for her to take them back.

Kurama's attention turned from Yusuke to Keiko when she lashed out at him. Her hasty exclamation told him that the couple had already made the discovery. "Hiei sensed it before I did," the redhead confessed, hoping to answer Yusuke's question and smooth over Keiko's anger with one response.

Yusuke back pedaled hastily in the face of his petite wife's anger. He was about to defend himself when she stopped, obviously registering his shock at Hiei's blunt question. Kurama's timely explanation put things in perspective. 'Of course Hiei noticed...' He mentally smacked himself. "So....how long have you known?" He directed his bemused question at the shorter demon.

Hiei shrugged, feigning disinterest. "Some of us use our senses all the time." He said vaguely, hiding his discomfort with sarcasm. It made it pretty obvious he'd known from the moment he saw Keiko, without him actually having to say so.

Yusuke's brain tried to process that information. It made so much sense; the way they had helped out when Keiko wasn't feeling well, as well as the way they had hinted that she needed to take care of herself.

Keiko listened to Kurama's brief explanation and it dawned on her that if Yusuke had been able to sense the "spark" as he called it inside of her, then it made sense that his strange friends would have been able to see it as well. The human woman didn't like the feeling that they could see through her but she kept her discomfort to herself. Keiko was grateful when her husband phrased the question she had been asking herself. Her frown deepened when the shorter demon replied however and an overwhelming sense of frustration overtook her. Had everyone known before she did? Keiko felt like crying though she didn't know exactly why but managed to keep herself together. A number of thoughts and questions crossed her mind but she didn't trust herself to speak at the moment, torn between the urge to weep and another to yell.

"We don't mean to darken the news Yusuke, but the two of you need to know what role your ancestry is going to play in this," Kurama said, his tone turning serious. Since the cat was already out of the bag there was no sense pussyfooting around it. Shuichi was happy that the couple were able to make the discovery on their own so they could have a moment of happiness before Hiei and himself explained the more somber aspect of things. The fox remained silent for a moment to allow the weight of his words to sink in, especially for Yusuke. Keiko was already looking a bit distraught and Kurama feared what they had to tell her wasn't going to make things any easier.

Still using the jagan to monitor the fetus, Hiei was caught off-guard by the wave of intense emotions that rolled off of Keiko. He flinched slightly and hastily shut off the light contact he had been maintaining to the human female.

Yusuke frowned curiously at his friend, he wanted to ask what the fox meant but a glance around the restaurant made him think better of it. He squeezed Keiko's shoulder and walked over to the door, hanging out the closed sign before returning to the group. "Give us a few minutes to clear out the rest of the customers, okay? Have a seat."

Without another word, the half demon efficiently began serving the remaining customers.

Hiei's flinch did not go unnoticed to the fox but he made no mention of it. The redhead focused instead on the couple before him. Keiko seemed to float somewhere between annoyance and despair while Yusuke's expression spoke of curiosity and possibly worry. Kurama nodded in response to Yusuke's request but chose to remain standing, "Take your time." He regretted the need for them to close shop early for the second night in a row but the information couldn't wait and the open restaurant left little room for private discussion.

Keiko stiffened at Kurama's serious tone and her chest tightened in response to the words he spoke. She had feared the possibility of Yusuke's demon blood causing complications but had previously remained cautiously optimistic about it. After all, Yusuke had turned out okay and Atsuko seemed none the worse for it. Yusuke's red-haired friend now had her questioning that logic however and worry filled her heart. Yusuke's reassuring touch helped calm her nerves, but only for a moment. As she set out to help him serve the remaining customers, a sense of disquiet washed over her once more.

Hiei felt conspicuous standing by the door, so he moved over to the bar and sat down on the stool in the corner. He watched Yusuke serve the last of the customers with deliberate and controlled motions. The half demon was obviously very tense and Hiei couldn't really blame him.

Still, they were only trying to help. Forewarned was forearmed as the saying went. If they knew the pregnancy was dangerous they'd be able to take precautions to make it less so.

Yusuke's mind was whirling with terrifying possibilities as he gave the last customer his food and moved to clear the dishes where another patron had just left. There were only a few more people still eating, it wouldn't take long for the restaurant to clear out.

Kurama spared a glance at Hiei as he joined him at the bar. The dark-haired demon's attention was focused on Yusuke however and the redhead too gazed out upon the dining room and its occupants. It didn't take long to consume a bowl of noodles and customers filed out individually or in small groups at regular intervals until only a few remained. It wouldn't be long now before the last few left and the questions and explanations would begin. Kurama sighed and sunk down onto the stool beside Hiei to wait for the last couple to leave. The fox spirit crossed one leg over the other and his hands rested clasped in his lap as he composed his thoughts in silence.

It only took two trips to serve the recently seated customers and Keiko did her best to keep her mind on task as she collected dirty bowls and carted them off to the dish room to be washed later. Her fingers trembled however and she would have dropped the stack she was carrying had Yusuke not been there to steady it for her in time. After that close call the female busied herself with wiping down tables instead, finding it safer. She performed the rhythmic motion with the minimum amount of focus, hardly realizing that she had washed a few of them at least once already.

Yusuke let out a sigh of relief as the last customer finally shuffled out. He offered the man a halfhearted bow as he locked the door behind him, then hurried over to the bar where the two demons were waiting. "Okay, what's this about guys? Is Keiko going to be okay? What about the baby?" The half demon cut off the sharp flow of questions with some effort, trying to quell his nerves and give his friends time to answer.

As soon as the last human was gone, Hiei set up a barrier to keep any passersby from overhearing their conversation. It wouldn't do to be careless with such sensitive information, even though he didn't feel any other demonic presences in the area. He then waited patiently for Kurama to begin the explanation. The fox was better at getting through to Yusuke without resorting to violence. Hiei had never been great at communicating without a weapon.

Keiko gave up wiping tables when all but the last had been cleared and eased herself into one of the chairs at the table closest to where Yusuke's friends were seated at the bar, feeling suddenly heavy-hearted and just a bit tired. Yusuke didn't bother with the last table after showing it's occupant out but rather rushed over to the small congregation at the bar, the questions already flowing. Keiko clenched the apron in her lap nervously as she awaited the response to her husband's questions.

Kurama hardly moved, even after the last customer had gone. Yusuke's concern was apparent in his quickly-voiced questions as was Keiko's nervousness by the way she clasped the bundle of cloth in her lap. Feeling Hiei's barrier fall into place around them, the fox began. "I'm afraid I don't have a clear answer to those questions Yusuke," he stated flatly. "Though mating is physically possible between humans and most humanoid demon races, human females often lack the strength to carry the offspring of such encounters. Hiei and I fear this pregnancy could prove strenuous for Keiko. Should her body lack the strength to support the child, either or both may perish."

The redhead didn't allow the time for despair to set in but rather pushed on before Yusuke could interrupt him. "Certain precautions must be taken immediately to give both the best chances, namely a strict diet and no unnecessary physical activity. A demonic fetus can almost be viewed as parasitic in the amount of energy, both physical and spiritual, that it must draw from its host to sustain its growth." Kurama's attention drifted from the pair to Keiko specifically, "Fortunately for you, Yusuke is only half demon. Though this does not guarantee your safety, it does significantly improve the outlook."